Action Star Jackie Chan Wished He Had Superpowers Like Superman And Spider-Man To Help Children Living With HIV/AIDS
Jackie Chan recently revealed that he wished he had superpowers so he could save the world from the myriad of problems it faces and the resultant humanitarian crises that have come to define the news cycle around the globe. Jackie revealed this to BBC’s Laura Trevelyan at the sidelines of the 70th anniversary of UNICEF, the UN agency that handles child-related issues. Chan was among countless superstars from different nations who graced the event.
Jackie Chan, who was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador during a trip to Cambodia in 2004, has used his superstar clout to aid the cause of children around the world. Chan’s passion for helping children can be seen in his empathetic answers to questions that were posed to him at the event.
When asked what he thought of UNICEF’S impact on global peace, Chan said the UN agency has helped so many people, especially children, over the past 70 years. Jackie also expressed the hope that the next 70 will be devoted to fostering peace around the world.
One of the ways in which UNICEF has advanced the plight of children worldwide is the provision of empathy and hope for children living with HIV/AIDS. According to the UNICEF Seventh Stocktaking Report, 1.8 million children between the ages of 0 and 15 currently live with HIV/AIDS. However, there has been an appreciable reduction in AIDS-related deaths among children between the ages of 0 and 4 since 2000 globally.
When asked to comment on this, Chan said, “It’s not the children’s fault… sometimes it’s the parents… sometimes it’s the area… sometimes it’s the situation… they do nothing wrong… they are just helpless. That’s why when UNICEF called me up to go, I was willing to go.”
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, including Jackie Chan, are superstars who have shown commitment to child causes and the improvement of their lives. For instance, Jackie has offered emotional support in many different ways.
“I hug them, I touch them, I let them know that HIV/AIDS is not that scary.”
Beyond HIV/AIDS, Jackie Chan is also frustrated about the children caught up in conflict areas, especially in the restive Middle East.
Trevelyan asked Chan if he was frustrated about this, and he said, “Yes. Yes. Especially the last couple of years… like Afghanistan… like Syria… keep going… a lot of terrible things. Sometimes, I really want… can I be a Superman? I wanna be a Superman, Spiderman… just somebody – Ironman – to help the world really. Sometimes I ask myself, like the earthquakes in China, in Japan, earthquake in Haiti.”
Apparently, his friends helped him to appraise things and see the world as it is.
“When I went to Indonesia, I said, can I help half-a-million-people? If I tell my friends, they say don’t think about that big. You just go to the area to help one people. Then, okay!”
Other Goodwill Ambassadors at the anniversary included Orlando Bloom, world-renowned actress and women’s rights champion Priyanka Chopra, Angelique Kidjo, ex-football sensation David Beckham, Nigerian Afro-Pop singer Femi Kuti, and Ishmael Beah.
The executive director of the agency, Anthony Lake, also took out time to celebrate Priyanka Chopra’s appointment as a global Goodwill Ambassador. Chopra has been clamoring for women’s rights in a country famous for its horrible rape epidemic, including one that claimed the life of a medical student in 2012.
Celebrating her appointment, executive director Anthony Lake said, “Priyanka Chopra is already a champion for India’s children — and as a UNICEF global Goodwill Ambassador, she will be a force for children and adolescents everywhere.”
You can watch Jackie Chan’s interview below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=720lbVZgMNg
[Featured Image by Mike Coppola/Getty Images]
